So you’re in the market for a job. Whether it’s your first job or your tenth, whether you’re working for minimum wage or a yearly salary the same ideas apply for just about any job you seek.
A 2009 study by Microsoft Corp. said 79% of recruiters check online information about possible employees before they interview them and 70% reject candidates based on what they found on the internet. That’s a large percentage! So remember these reasons why people don’t get picked for a job interview: inapropriate comments, concerns about lifestyle, and unsuitable photos or videos are the most common.
EVERYTHING you put online can be searched, no matter how tight you think your security or privacy settings are, so keep things clean and professional. And remember, things you post when you’re fifteen may come back to haunt you when you’re 30 and your prospective employer stumbles upon something in the Wayback machine.
Here’s a simple rule to follow: If you don’t want your boss to hear you say something, or see you do something, don’t post it online. They’ll find it.
Another mistake that’s easily made by many is starting profiles on too many networking websites to keep up with. Stick to three as a maximum, and really develop those profiles to their fullest extent. Employers don’t want to see ten underdeveloped profiles because it looks bad on you. You start projects and never finish them, or never check back with them to know if anyone’s contacted you. What boss wants to hire someone like that? If you were the boss, would you?
Yes, Facebook is a networking site that employers check. Even if the site you use is not one of the most popular, always take precaution because you just never know.
Tell people you’re looking for a job. If someone you know has a job to offer that could be just the right fit for you, they might let you know about it before the rest of the world. But if they don’t know you’re job hunting, you won’t get that offer. Of course, if you don’t want your current boss to know you’re looking for a new position, you’ll have to get creative and be subtle when letting others know.
When making friends on networking sites, such as Facebook, make sure they’re people you know relatively well. Your prospective boss might contact them to ask about you, and you certainly don’t want them to give you a bad rap, now do you?
In-person networking is also key, especially when looking for a higher-level position, as those are not posted online as often as other jobs. This way, you might get opportunities you wouldn’t get otherwise if you know the recruiter personally.
When you walk into the interview room, provided you’ve gotten that far, you should walk in with no strings attached, if possible. What does that mean? If you can only work nights, or know that you won’t be able to stick with the company more than a year or two, those are strings attached which many employers won’t like.
However, if you do have some strings that just can’t be cut, be open and honest about them right away. That way, it won’t be a waste of everyone’s time should the position not work out due to those strings.
If you’ve made it to the interview process but didn’t get beyond that for one reason or another, don’t be afraid to contact your interviewer and ask what you might have done wrong or how you can improve for your next interview.
Just remember to be polite and thank them for giving you the opportunity to improve. That alone, might be to your benefit should the company be looking to hire someone else in the near future. If you didn’t botch things up too badly in the interview and you show how much you’re looking to improve, that makes you look even better the next time around. Just be sure you have improved so they can see that, should they ask to interview you for another position in the future.
Need more tips on job hunting? I found these on www.hotjobs.yahoo.com where you’ll find many great articles to help you get the job of your dreams!
